Tag

blogging for business

Jan 19
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3 Social Media Details to Share with the Boss

By Social Media

And what kind of day are you having? on TwitpicPrint this post and put it on  your boss’s desk. Next to the coffee cup/s.

There are a few details your employees want you to  know about social media.

  1. Brands that are the most engaged in social media saw their revenue grow during 2008 by 18 percent while the least engaged brands saw losses of negative 6 percent. [1]
  2. Studies show that small businesses that blog get 55% more visitors to their websites. [2]
  3. “Neither a press release nor a full-page ad in The New York Times will boost your search engine ratings as much as a regularly updated blog. The shortest, cheapest, fastest and easiest route to a prominent Google ranking is to blog often.” — Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, Naked Conversations

It’s important to not only consider integrating social media into your marketing, it’s imperative that you do so. Your employees need support to do this; social media takes time, and if they’re not working from a specific, strategic plan, it can take even more time.

If you have found this on your desk it’s because (lucky you!) someone who works for you cares about your business. Help them get the resources they need to integrate social media in a way that is smart, strategic and has measurable results.

Congratulations on having a smart, savvy employee and best wishes for the future of your company.

Jan 05
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The One-Time Only Plan Development Workshop

By Communications

That’s right – I mean it – I’m only offering the Digital Communications Plan Development workshop once.

Why?

It’s my way of giving back to the Charlottesville community that has been so good to me in the five years since I moved here. To celebrate that, and help area businesses and nonprofits I’m offering this affordable three-hour boot camp to jump start your social media efforts in 2011.

You will:

  • Learn how you can be using social networking and social media to benefit your career and your business
  • Walk away with the infrastructure of a 2011 integrated communications plan for your business
  • Have focused attention and access to the most experienced communicator and social media expert in Central Virginia

The workshop will be January 13, 2011 at 9am at OpenSpace – more details.

I’m limiting participants to just 10 (3 seats left at this writing) to devote enough attention to each of you.

Sign up today or forward on to someone who you know will benefit from this workshop.

Register Now!

I hope to see you at OpenSpace on January 13!

Updated 1/12/2011: This workshop has SOLD OUT. Please stay in touch for future training opportunities.

Jan 03
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16 Reasons to Blog for your Business

By Communications
  1. Blogging makes you a better writer (thinker, speaker) by forcing you to put your thoughts about your business into shared, understandable forms.
  2. A website with a blog gets 55% more traffic than a website without a blog.
  3. You are proud of what your business does and want people to know about it. 75% of Web users read blog content.
  4. Blogging makes it easy for your customers to get to know you.
  5. Having a blog gives customers a place to give you feedback, where feedback is invited.
  6. Blogging helps create discipline; a blogging schedule or editorial calendar can help you maintain your focus.
  7. Being a blogger automatically puts you in a community of people who blog — you will be welcome at conferences, meetups and other gatherings where like-minded people congregate.
  8. By writing about your business often, you have the opportunity to refine your message to your audience, improving along the way.
  9. If you communicate using your blog often, then when there’s something urgent to communicate, your audience will know where to find the information, and in most cases, will already be paying attention.
  10. A blog can provide a look into the inner workings of the business, a chance to get to know the people behind it and what the business means to them. Blogging makes business personal.
  11. A blog is an opportunity to share what you know, to demonstrate thought leadership in your industry or about your product. Go ahead; show off.
  12. Search engines need a blog to find you. OK, that’s not strictly true but a frequently updated blog with well-written headlines, focused content and tagged entries is like crack for search engines. Go get some Google juice.
  13. Blogging is only a commitment in time; it is the most affordable way to market your services.
  14. It’s much easier than you think; and chances are, you’re already developing the blog content in e-mails, newsletters, marketing materials, etc. Get that content out on the searchable Web.
  15. It doesn’t have to be written to be a blog. For those of you intimidated by the writing, buy a webcam and just talk. Video is an excellent way to tell your story.
  16. People value information; sometimes blogs begin as a way for a business to keep the company’s team members informed. Twitter started that way — as an internal communications vehicle. Keep your team in the loop with regular blog posts.

In short, there’s no reason NOT to blog for your business. Get busy blogging.

Jan 03
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Digital Communications Plan Development Workshop

By Jaggers Communications News

*MEDIA ALERT*

For more information, contact:

Marijean Jaggers
636.485.2920
mjaggers@jaggerscommunications.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Digital Communications Plan Development Workshop

WHAT: A hands-on workshop for marketing directors and business owners. Participants will be guided through the process of developing a strategic communications plan for their business, integrating social media tools and tactics to help reach and surpass business goals. This workshop covers the creation of a plan infrastructure and the use of online tools to keep tasks efficient. Learn how to set measurable goals for social media and connect engagement to business success.

WHEN: Thursday, January 13, 2011, 9:00a.m. to noon. Fee: $200/participant.

Register online: http://jaggersplandevelopment.eventbrite.com/

WHERE: OpenSpace in The Conference Studio, 455 Second Street SE, Suite 100, Charlottesville, VA 22902, phone: 434.566.0880, http://getopenspace.com/

###

About Jaggers Communications

Jaggers Communications is a strategic communications firm that provides organizations in the health care, education, manufacturing, travel and tourism industries with social media consulting, public relations support and reputation management strategy. The firm was founded in 2011 to serve businesses and nonprofits with a need for cost-effective, strategic communications with effective reach. www.jaggerscommunications.com

Jan 02
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The 6 Most Annoying Mistakes Made in Social Media

By Social Media

This is a list of six mistakes I find people and businesses making social media on a regular basis. I’ll bet you have more, so let’s keep this list going as a cautionary document for those new to engagement online.

  1. The blog that died. In 2009 the New York Times estimated that 95 percent of blogs have been abandoned. That’s sad, especially because businesses that are blogging or individuals who blog as a way to increase business are probably still churning out content in the form of advertising, marketing materials or news releases. A blog that hasn’t been updated in months is a death knell for a company.
  2. The Twitter account with no biographical information. You’re who? You do what? Even worse are the accounts with no image. Let us see your face!
  3. The blog that doesn’t allow comments. In my opinion, if it’s not a two-way conversation, it is not a blog.
  4. The automated follow, reply or repost. See Automation Sucks.
  5. The rolling tumbleweed, the sound of crickets; that is, the lack of response when someone is contacted via Twitter, Facebook, online form or e-mail. Be responsive.
  6. The unattended LinkedIn profile. Business people have a responsibility to be aware what they look like online. Completing a LinkedIn profile has to be one of the easiest steps in social networking. It’s important, because it’s searchable and represents you as a business person online. Get it up-to-date today.

Your turn! What social media/networking mistakes are like nails on a chalkboard for you?